ERISA at 50: How We Got Here and Where Employee Benefits Law is Headed

Worldwide Employee Benefits Network [WEB]

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) was landmark legislation establishing new rights for employee benefit plan participants. Over the years, new protections were added by Congress and major efforts were made to increase retirement savings. These changes were enacted in significant amendments to ERISA such as the Retirement Equity Act of 1984, the Pension Protection Act of 2006 and the SECURE Acts. Employee benefits law has continued to evolve in light of developments not foreseen by the drafters of ERISA, including the reliance by many American workers on their 401(k) plans as their major source of retirement income.  

In this program our panelists, who have in their different roles been involved with ERISA since its early days, will discuss why and how ERISA was adopted, the growth of employee protections over the years, and how ERISA might be further expanded to provide coverage for more workers and eliminate gender and racial disparities in coverage. The panel will also predict changes that may be on the horizon. 

Program Speakers:

• J. Mark Iwry, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution and formerly Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury for National Retirement & Health Policy
• Israel Goldowitz, Partner, The Wagner Law Group and former Chief Counsel, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
• Carol Buckmann, Partner, Cohen & Buckmann p.c.
• Jeff Mamorsky, Partner, Cohen & Buckmann p.c.

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